8 4 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



tive. Just the contrary prevailed in England, for here the Royal 

 Society was the mother society, and all the organizations for spe- 

 cial study have been offsprings from her. 



A century of honorable and useful works could not save the 

 academies from the insatiable maw of the revolutionary Govern- 

 ment, and on the 8th of August, 1793, the following article was 

 proposed and passed : " Article I. All academies and literary 

 societies patented and paid by the nation are suppressed/' 



When, two years later, the Directory restored and reconsti- 

 tuted the academies into the Institute, after the original plans of 

 Colbert, the empty chairs of the old members told with what 

 deadly thoroughness the Revolutionary Committee suppressed 

 the learned bodies through the guillotine and exile. 



There had been the Academie Frangaise, Academie des Inscrij)- 

 iions et Belles-Lettres, Academie des Sciences, and Academie de 

 Peinture et Sculpture, now styled Academie des Beaux-Arts. 

 Under succeeding governments the Institute and its academies 

 underwent various changes as to name and classification of sec- 

 tions, but as they exist to-day the several academies are fulfilling 

 practically the same aims and functions with which they started. 

 A fifth academy was added by Guizot in 1832, as L Academie des 

 Sciences Morales et Politiques. 



I. The Academie Frangaise is the oldest, and in many respects, 

 the most illustrious of the five. 



The great Cardinal Richelieu, betwixt his intrigues of state 

 and his more laborious task of writing indifferent tragedies, found 

 time to play the patron to a coterie of learned men, who met at 

 regular intervals for social and intellectual intercourse. Whether 

 through his political insight or literary ambition it is not possible 

 to know, but he clearly foresaw what a powerful influence such a 

 society might wield, and esteemed it good statecraft that the Gov- 

 ernment should hold a supervisory interest. All was grist that 

 came to his mill. For several years, or as early as 1630, Godeau 

 Gombauld, Giry Habert, Serisay de Malleville, Chapelaine, au- 

 thor of La Pucelle, and other literary men of note, had been accus- 

 tomed to meeting weekly at the house of Conrart, secretary of 

 Louis XIII, where literary subjects were the usual topics, and 

 where new works of the members were read. Since even such 

 harmless societies were contrary to the law of France, strict se- 

 crecy was enjoined. But Richelieu had ears all over France. In 

 1033 Malleville took with him to the meetings his friend Farey, 

 who, in all innocence, introduced the Abbe* Bois-Robert. This 

 satellite of the prime minister proved to be the ears in this in- 

 stance, and reported to his master the excellence of these gath- 

 erings. Richelieu lost no time in offering to act as patron to the 

 society, extended to it his protection, and promised letters of incor- 



